I come from a long line of strong women. My ancestors were what I would call, true pioneers.  They trudged across country with horses and covered wagons to begin a new life.  The women gathered buffalo chips to start campfires, did their laundry in a muddy river or rippling stream, cooked over an open fire sweat alongside their husbands as they built a new frontier. As they traveled over the prairie, they would often have to leave some of their treasured belongings behind, leaving a trail of “stuff” behind them. In order to maintain the proper weight for those wagons and the perils that lay before them, it was necessary to lighten the load. Men hunted for dinner and children worked hard too.  They weren’t simply served from a silver platter or given anything they wanted just because they felt worthy of it.  These folks didn’t have time or energy to get involved in shady dealings.  By the end of the day, they were exhausted from hard work. You could say they operated on true grit, but none of them would admit to that. Most of them were in search of a land of promise and opportunity.

Today, women have made gigantic strides. They run large corporations. They manage a family. They contribute to society and its welfare. There seem to be no limits to what they can accomplish. So, in a way, you could say they’re the pioneer women of the 21st century. There are crushing situations for these new groundbreakers. In an effort to prove themselves, they often are placed under a microscope. Highter expectations are demanded of them. Those who have careers outside the home and a job as a parent are required to do more. They sometimes get overwhelmed and reach the breaking point.

There are so many factors that enter in. Even when we reach retirement age, those requirements continue. We may be a caregiver for a spouse. We wonder if we can achieve the right things. We expect more of ourselves than is necessary and eventually something has to give. We try to take care of ourselves by remaining active, but time takes over and pushes those buttons which cause us to break. Everyone has that point of no return that needs attention.

Those pioneers of old made it through the trials of their time. We also manage to recover from ugly situations, gossip, hatred, self-worth and failure. In each generation there are new pioneers, pushing through huge obstacles, but even though they may be crushed they aren’t broken when they trust in the Only God who controls the universe and all things within and around it. “Grit” is a word which combines passion, perseverance and hard work to achieve a long-term goal. God provides the strength to overcome the perils we face in this life. He also has promised a place for us in His perfect kingdom. He truly gives us the grit necessary to make it through.